Immigration to Australia

Resident Return Visa

A Resident Return Visa (RRV) is for permanent residents, or former citizens who have lost their citizenship, to return to Australia.

To apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) the applicant must be:

• a permanent resident holding a valid permanent visa,
• a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or
• a former Australian citizen who has lost or renounced their Australian citizenship.

For a five-year RRV :

• Applicant must be lawfully present in Australia for a total of at least 2 years in the 5 years immediately before lodging the application for the visa;
• Applicant must have substantial and beneficial business, cultural, employment or personal ties to Australia; and
• if the applicant has been absent from Australia for more than five years, the applicant must also have compelling reasons for your absence.
• If the applicant do not meet these criteria, but have to leave Australia for compassionate and compelling reasons, the applicant can apply for a 3 month RRV.
• If the applicant is unable to meet the RRV requirements in the own right, but the applicant is  a member of the family unit of a person who holds an RRV, the applicant may be granted an RRV with the same validity period as the family head's.